"We are not living in the Dark Ages," retorted kennel-operator Tan when I asked him to board and nurse two rabbits at $10 per day for the next 7 days. 

The tall man his late sixties wrinkled his pale face and opened his protruding eyes wide to tell me I was talking through my hat. Was I in a fantasy world?

Mr Tan came to me to be a pet transport man. He had retired from the civil service recently. No more tucking in his shirt and wearing shoes. He was now free to dress casually and in slippers.  After all, a transport man need not impress.  He bought an old van. He wanted to start a business of transporting pets to veterinary clinics and hospitals. 

As he did not want to reveal the identity of his previous employer nor any details of his family, I did not pester him. He had retired and wanted to start a small pet transport business. He was from the old school - polite and genuine. I would try to help senior citizens who want to work, whenever possible. 

I provided him a base in Toa Payoh Vets to rest. All my dog transport business, grooming and after-care nursing would be done by him without him paying any rental or utilities. He would pay 50% of his income related to Toa Payoh Vets' business, if he had any.
 

I was willing to help a senior citizen to start a new business even though I don't know him at all.

 He was a free lancer and had his fees.  However, the market seldom could afford his fees as there was rampant undercutting by newer and younger operators.  His fees started at $36 per day for the 2 rabbits. 

What did he mean by the "Dark Ages?" I doubt many internet generation people knew what he was talking about unless they have had read European history or stories. Knights in shining armour stories?  Not really such stories.   

The Dark Ages, I presumed he referred to, was the period in the history of Europe when very low wages were paid.  There was slave labour. 

So, Mr Tan decidedly rejected the offer. He would have earned an income of $70 just by feeding the rabbits and changing the newspapers in the cage for 10 days.

That was all he needed to do.  Assuming he had to pay 50% of the gross income to Toa Payoh Vets, he would still be netting $35.  In Singapore, $35 might not mean much money but in undeveloped countries, that could feed a family for some weeks.

Now, what would be the solution for the veterinarian who referred the cases to him? 
 

New ones could be bought for $5.00 each in 2001.  One of the rabbits was limping as his right back leg was fractured.  You could see its paws at 90 degrees to the rest of the limb. Other than the fracture, there was a generalised skin infection.  Microscopic Sarcoptic mange mites proliferated inside the skin of the nose, paws and feet areas of the bigger and smaller rabbits.

The Owner had treated the crustiness on the nose and paws with iodine and the antiseptic Dettol, thinking they were caused by fighting.  There was no recovery. The rabbits ate only carrots and were very thin. The diagnosis was rabbit sarcoptic mange and the cure was guaranteed to be very effective.  

The easiest solution would be to inject with a lethal solution and put the rabbits to sleep. The time spent in treating it would be better spent on other animals.

But the Owner was only willing to pay $10 per day for the rabbits to be treated for the next 7 days.  $70 was still money to feed a family a month in some countries, but not for this kennel operator.  It was not worth his while.

Well, you have a limited amount of time per day and time is money. You could not be doing charity. You could empathise with the kennel operator.

But there were two lives involved. Their lives could be saved if the Owner needed not care for the rabbits and could pay to have them treated at a reasonable charge. There were two little children who loved these two rabbits too.

"I will look after them," said Nurse Ann.  It was not a time-consuming occupation.  The rabbits ate well and put on weight.  The mites which multiplied and bred on the skin surface, causing the thick crusts on the nose, paws, ears and around the eyes had been killed by an anti-mite injection given to the rabbits 8 days ago. 

You could see the new pink skin on the nose and other affected areas.  The two children were most happy to bring back two cured rabbits. If there were no affordable alternatives for boarding to treat the two rabbits, the owner would probably had the rabbits put down as cost of nursing was high.